Waxflower plant named &#39;WX 74&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘WX 74’ is a new and distinct waxflower plant (interspecific  Chamelaucium  hybrid) notable for its foliage that remains green, mid-season flowering, open growth habit, and dense terminal cover of medium-large white flowers that age to white.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Interspecific Chamelaucium hybrid (Chamelaucium megalopetalum×Chamelaucium uncinatum).

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘WX 74’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘WX 74’ is a new waxflower plant that originated as a seedling produced in a sexual breeding program conducted by the State of Western Australia at its Medina Research Station and at its South Perth nursery and laboratories. ‘WX 74’ was selected from seedlings of an open pollination. Female parent Chamelaucium megalopetalum ‘CM12.1-4’ (not patented) was pollinated by an unknown male parent, likely C. uncinatum ‘Alba’ (not patented), which was growing in close proximity at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, Medina Research Station. An embryo was excised from resulting fruit produced in August 2000 and germinated in vitro. The resulting seedling was subcultured in tissue culture four times, deflasked, hardened and planted in the field at Medina Research Station in May 2001. Following flowering in June 2002, the seedling was vegetatively propagated via cuttings and a second generation of cuttings was taken in 2009. Growth and flowering records of the generations were recorded during the period 2002 to 2010. No off types were recorded and all plants were found to be uniform and stable.

‘WX 74’ is distinguishable from its female parent ‘CM 12.1-4’ by a number of features, as described in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Characteristic CM 12.1-4 WX 74 Flower diameter Large Medium Plant height Short Medium-tall Flower arrangement Touching Free of petals Flower colour White aging to red White aging to white

‘WX 74’ is distinguishable from its presumed male parent ‘Alba’ by a number of features, as described in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2 Characteristic Alba WX 74 Leaf length Long Small-medium Leaf cross section Rounded Flattened triangular Flower attitude of petals Horizontal Semi-erect Pedicel length Medium-long Small-medium

‘WX 74’ is also distinguishable from other known waxflower varieties. Comparisons of ‘WX 74’ to ‘Crystal Pearl’ (not patented) and ‘Ivory Pearl’ (not patented), the most similar varieties of common knowledge, are set forth in Tables 3 and 4 below:

TABLE 3 Characteristic Crystal Pearl WX 74 Leaf length Medium Short Leaf cross-section Flattened/round Flattened/triangular Pedicel length Medium to long Short to medium Time of beginning Early Medium of flowering

TABLE 4 Characteristic Ivory Pearl WX 74 Leaf length Long Short Leaf cross-section Round Flattened/triangular Lear colour Green turning to yellow Green Flower diameter Medium to large Medium Pedicel length Medium to long Short to medium

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of ‘WX 74’ growing outdoors;

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a sprig of leaves and flowers of ‘WX 74’;

FIG. 3 is a close-up photograph of young flowers of ‘WX 74’;

FIG. 4 is a photograph of flowers of ‘WX 74’;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are close-up photographs of flowers of ‘WX 74’;

FIG. 7 is a close-up photograph of a leaf of ‘WX 74’;

FIG. 8 is a photograph of a branch and leaves of ‘WX 74’;

FIG. 9 is a photograph of a stem of leaves and flowers of ‘WX 74’;

FIG. 10 is a close-up photograph of a young bud of ‘WX 74’; and

FIG. 11 is a close-up photograph of an older bud of ‘WX 74’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed botanical description is based on observations of four year old ‘WX 74’ waxflower plants growing at Medina Research Station, Medina, Western Australia during August and September 2013 (early spring). All colors are described according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (2001). It should be understood that the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and can vary with location and season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average.

-   Plant:     -   -   Summary.—‘WX 74’ is a mid-season flowering, spreading             medium-tall bush with dense terminal cover of medium to             large (17 mm) white flowers with yellow-green 151B centers.             The petals age to white.         -   Growth habit.—Branching, upright shrub growing to a height             of 1.5 m and a bush diameter of 1.5 m.         -   Flowering stem length.—60 to 70 cm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf density.—Main branch: about 6 pairs per 6 cm branch             length. Secondary branch: 6 pairs of leaves, branch 5 cm in             length.         -   Attitude.—Held at about 25 to 30 degree angle to stem.         -   Aroma.—Eucalyptus or citrus aroma when leaves are crushed.         -   Leaf internode length.—Average 9.0 mm on main branch, and             7.2 mm on secondary branch.         -   Leaf size.—Length 10.5 mm, width 1.4 mm.         -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly obovate with acute apex.         -   Leaf surface texture.—Glabrous glandular, leathery, shiny.         -   Leaf margin.—Entire.         -   Leaf base.—Sessile truncate to stem.         -   Leaf cross section.—Triangular with flat upper surface.         -   Leaf color.—New growth, upper and lower surface yellow-green             144B to 144C; mature leaves, upper and lower surface green             N137B.         -   Leaf division.—Simple. Leaf venation — None visible. -   Flower:     -   -   Flower bud.—Fresh buds cone-shaped with smooth shiny             surface, color yellow-green 145B, tip of bud orange-red N30;             diameter 4.4 mm, length 4.6 mm. Older buds more elongated             with papery operculum, coarse, surface color grey-brown             N199B to N199C; diameter 4.8 mm, length 9.0 mm.         -   Flowering season.—August (Medina Research Station, Medina,             Western Australia).         -   Flower longevity.—60 days.         -   Flower quality.—High.         -   Flowering time.—Mid-season.         -   Flower description.—Flowers slightly cupped and petals             separate, elongated round in shape, upper and lower surface             are glabrous waxy, entire margin, truncate base and fused to             calyx, rounded apex. Flower color remains constant as it             matures (lower and upper surface same coloration).         -   Petal color.—On day of opening, white 155A; When partially             developed, petals remain white 155B; When fully developed             petals remain white 155C.         -   Flower arrangement.—Corymb.         -   Flower type.—Single flower.         -   Flowering habit.—Terminal, panicle florescence.         -   Flower shape.—Cup-shaped.         -   Flower diameter.—Average 17.9 mm; depth 12.2 mm (top of             stigma to bottom of ovary).         -   Flowering branch angle.—Overlapping.         -   Flowering attitude of petals on day of opening.—Semi erect.         -   Flowering branch angle 2 weeks after opening.—Semi-erect.         -   Length of sepal in relation to length of petal.—Less than             one-third.         -   Petiole (pedicle) length.—Long, 8.2 mm, aspect 25 degrees to             35 degrees.         -   Hypanthium shape.—Obconical.         -   Hypanthium diameter.—Medium, 7.3 mm.         -   Hypanthium main color at middle part on day of opening of             flower.—Yellow-green 145A; 4 weeks after opening of flower             yellow-green 145A.         -   Nectaries.—About 6 mm in diameter, color see hypanthium.         -   Flower petals.—5, round shape; fused sepals at base to             hypanthium, with rounded outer separate lobes arranged             alternately between petals; tube portion fluted; fused             sepals yellow-green 145A -B; lobed sepals; new petals white             155A, remaining white 155C as the petals age.         -   Petal shape.—Slightly cupped and undulation of margins weak.         -   Petal texture.—Waxy, glabrous.         -   Petal dimensions.—Similar width (7.9 mm) to length (7.4 mm).         -   Stamen collar.—Color at opening of flower yellow-green 154D.         -   Stamen collar 10 to 14 days after opening of flower.—Color             yellow-green 145D.         -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, stigma bearded, color yellow-orange 14D             with style yellow-green 145D; length 7.1 mm.         -   Androcoecium.—About 10 fertile stamens with 10 infertile             staminodes arranged alternatively on a collar adnate to             junction of petals and calyx; filament length 1.4 mm, color             white 1550 aging to white 155D; staminode length 1.0 mm,             color white 155D; anthers length about 0.9 mm, color             greyed-orange 166B; pollen is sterile.         -   Disease resistance.—Moderate to high. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct waxflower plant substantially as shown and described herein. 